


Mugged Part 2

by rosa241



Series: Brothers, lovers and everything in between [17]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Mentions of Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-26 03:15:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16673668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosa241/pseuds/rosa241
Summary: Poor Athos is still fighting for his life following his attack but no need to worry since the boys are on the case.





	Mugged Part 2

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so wow! I really don’t know what to say other than thank you for the response to the last chapter. Honestly I never know what to expect when I post these since they’re all so different. I hope you like this part as well.

** Mugged Part 2 **

** By Rosa241 **

**D’Artagnan POV:**

Rounding the corner I hear the intake of breath from the two men beside me and for a moment my heart stops. The last place I want to be is back here. I’d rather be by Athos’ side watching over him but instead I find myself staring at the place where his life could have been lost. The blood is still sitting on the cracked stones and for a moment I’m unsure of what to do. Right now in this moment I’ve never wished for rain more. Rain to wash this away and wipe the sight away from my eyes.

“I’ll um…I’ll keep watch.” Bernard nods his head as Lambert turns his back and stands guard at the end of the alleyway. As much as he does want to keep an eye out I can tell he’s more than a little bothered by the amount of blood here. I’ve seen blood before, we all have, it’s somewhat inevitable in our roles. This however is different. This is **_Athos’_** blood. This is the blood of the best swordsman in the regiment, of our lieutenant and future captain. It’s not the same. It’s **_really_** not the same.

“Let’s see what we can find.” Finally finding my voice Bernard and I quickly split up. Gazing around the alleyway I see nothing that appears out of the ordinary. Other than the blood on the ground I can see nothing that would suggest anything happened here.

_How long did he lie here?_

Don’t do that to yourself. Don’t. The last thing I need to do is start thinking about that now. It’s hard enough standing here without thinking about that. Without wondering how cold he was or how much pain he would have been in.

_Stop!_

Pulling the nearby boxes away from the wall I find nothing just as I expected. Whomever these guys were they’re good, very good. They not only managed to over throw Athos but they also managed to clean up after themselves. Those…people…picked him clean. His sword, his dagger, his purse all gone. When we find them, when we get our hands on them I swear I’m going to make each and every one of them pay.

_What would have happened had that poor woman not fallen over his body?_

_How long would it have taken for him to die?_

_Would we have found him on time?_

The thoughts are running through my mind and I don’t really have the ability to stop them.

“Mother of god there’s blood on the walls. What on earth happened?” Bernard’s question isn’t meant for me I can tell. He’s thinking out loud rather than talking but his voice comforts me somewhat even if his words make my blood run cold.

They did so much damage to him. There must have been far more of them than we first thought for them to best Athos. He wasn’t just called the best swordsman in the regiment for nothing. It was true. He was far more talented than anyone I’ve ever met and we all know it. Hell half of Paris know it by now. For them to have bested him…

Wait.

Athos wouldn’t have just taken this lying down. He would have fought back. He’d have fought back with everything inside him, he was fighting for his life. Even out numbered the man was no slouch. Surely he would have done some damage to them, surely he’d have.

_Mother of god there’s blood on the walls._

Blood on the walls.

Blood on the…

Blood.

The thought comes to me so suddenly that I almost fall over with the shock of it.

_How could we have missed it?_

Athos was an incredible swordsman and one hell of a fighter. He wouldn’t have just accepted this and let it happen he’d have fought back. He’d have fought back like all hell. What if all this blood wasn’t just his? What if some of it was there’s as well? What if he injured them?

_He would have injured them. Athos is the best swordsman in France. He’ll have left his mark._

With that thought in my mind I begin tearing apart the alleyway with renewed strength. There be something here. There must be something, some kind of sign. It takes a few minutes before I find it and when I do I could cheer with relief.

His dagger.

“That’s Athos’ right?” Nodding at Bernards question I can tell the same thoughts are now running through his mind.

“Athos injured one of them. They’ll have needed a physician.”  

**Treville POV:**

Storming into the palace every guard in there moves out of my way without question. From the fear in some of their eyes I gather I must look like a mad man and with Porthos behind me scowling at everyone…what a sight we must be.

_I don’t care._

_I don’t care about anything but my men._

“Captain, this is most unusual.” The King utters as I’m greeted into the room. It’s not common practice to just turn up at the palace and demand an audience with the King. Truth be told it’s probably only my position as captain that secures my request and doesn’t see my thrown from the room.

“I apologise for the sudden intrusion but I’m afraid this is a matter of urgency your majesty.” Behind me the doors open and I’m more than aware of the moment Rochefort walks into the room. He makes a point of stalking up beside me and I basically feel the growl that Porthos lets loose.

“A matter of urgency? What could possibly be so urgent Captain?” My position in his eyes has diminished of late but right now that doesn’t matter. My musketeers life is lying on the line and I’ll be damned if I let Rochefort brush this under the carpet.

“One of my Musketeers has been attacked.” At those words his face falls and I can see the man I once knew behind them. Rochefort may have turned the Kings head but Louis is still in there. I can see it. The Louis I knew cared for his Musketeers deep down. He still does. “He was attacked last night and set upon by a gang of men. It was only through sheer luck that we found him in time.”

“He will live?” The question is asked with his usual mask but I can see the genuine concern underneath that.

“We do not yet know.” Porthos growls again beside me and it takes everything I have not to look at him. “He currently still lives but his life hangs in the balance. His life may yet come to an end.”

“Tragic though this is quite why you’re bothering the King with this I don’t know.” My own self restraint is taking quite a beating as the slimy man speaks but I curb my anger and instead focus my attention on his eyes.

“He was mugged and from what we are led to believe by the same men you proclaimed to be a nuisance and not a danger just last week at court.” Now _that_ gets the Kings attention. Three weeks back we’d fought openly over who’d get jurisdiction for these muggings was epic beyond all proportions. At one point I’d actually thought the King would throw us both out of the palace and fire the pair of us.

“The same men. You’re sure?” From the look on Rocheforts face he definitely wasn’t expecting that.

“From our investigation so far.” I can sense the look Porthos wants to give me but he manages to refrain and keeps his eyes forward instead. “Your majesty I understand that we settled the matter of jurisdiction several weeks back but I urge you to reconsider. This is my Musketeer whose life is hanging by a thread and I would ask you to give us jurisdiction. Allow my men to investigate.”

“This is ridiculous. This matter has been settled. My red guards are more than capable of finding these men.” Whipping my eyes to him it takes everything I have not punch the man across the jaw.

“Yet you’ve had several weeks and nothing has turned up. Perhaps your men are not so capable after all.” The shock that reigns through us all as the King addresses Rochefort is evident. He doesn’t get the chance to protest however as the King turns his attention to me. “This man. Athos. He is the same man who has previously saved my life, is he not?”

“Yes your majesty. More than once.” I add as an afterthought. Athos has saved the King, the Queen and Paris more times than I can count.

“What is your view of this?” To both of our surprise the King turns his attention to the man next to me who squares his shoulders as he is addressed.

“Athos is the finest swordsman in the regiment and he’s a more than capable fighter. He wouldn’t have been bested easily your majesty. To me the fact that he was is very telling.” _Telling indeed._ At the King urges him to continue I can tell he doesn’t know yet what Porthos is saying. “Well in my eyes either there are far more of those men than Rochefort has led us to believe or they are more than just a few men taking their opportunity when it arises. No average man could have injured Athos so badly…your majesty.”

The King doesn’t initially speak and for both myself and Rochefort that’s a moment of fear. For me I fear that he will turn me down and the investigation will fall to that man. For Rochefort it’s in the fear that his control over Louis may well be slipping. Only one of us will be disappointed.

“Rochefort if your men were as capable as you seem to believe then you’d have caught these men long ago. Now one of my best Musketeers lies fighting for his life as a result of your men’s inability to catch these people.” He stops short of calling the red guard incompetent however the words are in there. I can tell and judging from the look Rochefort gives me as the King turns his back he knows it too. “Investigate this Captain. Find these men and don’t let me down.”

Walking out of the room a determination settles over me. Whomever these men are they best watch out.

**Aramis POV:**

I swore I’d never do this again. He swore to me that after the last time I had to watch him fighting for his life that we’d do what ever we could to never go through this again. It was a fools promise I know but part of me feels angered that he’s broken it. It’s the same part of me that wants to be out there finding out who did this.

“Mmm…” Movement from the bed behind me has my mind cleared of anything else in an instant.

“Athos?” Calling out to him his eyes flutter but don’t open. He’s not yet awake, not truly. His lips move but nothing comes out. “Athos try again, you must try again.”

“Mor…Mor…” More? More what? More men? More blankets? What?

“Athos?” Before he can say anything else his body stills its movements and he falls unconscious yet again.

More?

More what?

What was he trying to say?

Before I can think too much on it the door swings open and D’Artagnan walks in.

“How is he?” As soon as I catch the look on his face I keep his recent attempts at waking up to myself. We do not yet know if he’s out of the woods and giving him the false hope of his waking isn’t fair.

“Still fighting, he’s the most stubborn man I’ve ever met. He will not give in easily.” That seems to calm the look on his face and his panic seems to have ebbed slightly. “You didn’t come here just for that.”

“We found Athos’ dagger in the alley with blood on it. He fought back.” Of course he did. Of course he fought back, Athos would have done his best to fight back. Wait that means…

“Blood?” At his nod the pieces fall into place. “That means he must have injured one of them. We’ll need to check the local physicians and see whether they’ve had any men with injuries. It’s a long shot but it just might give us a lead.”

“Bernard and Lambert are already checking round. I just wanted to update you.” And to check on Athos, not that I can blame him. It takes a few more moments before he’s ready to leave again, once he’s settled himself that Athos is still fighting he takes off. As much as he wants to stay and watch over his mentor he also wants to find the men that did this to him.   

It’s only a few minutes after D’Artagnan leaves that the door swings open again only this time it’s Treville who steps through. As he relays what happened with the King I find my eyes widening. The King sided with us? After these last few months I was thoroughly convinced that the man wanted rid of us. Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps there truly is more to Louis than meets the eye.

“Porthos?” I question as Treville finishes his tale.

“Following up a lead.”

**Porthos POV:**

“I’m sorry to bring this up, I understand it must have been difficult.” The woman in front of me sobs into the arms of her mother as she tells her story. This wasn’t what I was good at. This part, this was Aramis’ job not mine. Seeing as though Aramis was watching over our leader and D’Artagnan was out investigating it had fallen to me to interview them. So far I’d spoken to three people, or at least I’d tried to. None of them were willing to talk to me. It’s like they were all scared of something. “I just have a couple more questions before I go if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Ask away.” Her fathers gruff voice is hard and full of anger. Thankfully the anger isn’t aimed at me and instead at the men whom have done this to his daughter.

“How many men were there?” Through her tears I honestly don’t think she’ll be able to answer me but to my surprise she stills herself and speaks clearly.

“I remember four of them but I think there were more. I remember hearing more voices down the alley when they were…beating me.” Despite her obvious tears and the clear fear in her eyes she’s trying her best to be strong.

Four men would be enough to best Athos if they were trained enough. As good as he is there’s no way that he’d be able to take them on and that’s the minimum number of people he’d had been facing.

“One more question. Do you remember anything they might have said, anything at all?” Anything she might remember could help us immensely.

“No, nothing. I remember them talking but I don’t remember what they said.” Damn. Dammit all to hell. “Although…”

“Go on.” Wiping her eyes she leans forward as she speaks.

“One of the men…I recognised him. I don’t know where from but I know that I’ve seen him before.” _Seen him?_

As I’m walking back to the garrison her words are playing on my mind.

She recognised him. That girl knew one of those men. She wasn’t a noble woman or someone of high standing, she’s a commoner. That means that whoever’s doing this has to be someone she’s come across before. The girl works in the market most days so probably a customer. None of the victims know each other, they’ve got nothing in common other than being commoners. Save for Athos. Why would they target him? He was in his uniform so they had to know that he was a Musketeer. You’ve got to be pretty confident to be going after a Musketeer either that or plain stupid.

All of a sudden I come to a sudden halt and everything hits me all at once.

_All the victims are too scared to come forward._

_She recognised one of them._

_The red guards have gotten nowhere._

_Athos was targeted._

Watching the two red guards standing across the street an idea begins to form in my mind and I really don’t like the look of it.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I’m sorry! I need another part to this, possibly two, before I can end it. I have too much to wrap up still to end it in one chapter. I promise that this will be no more than four parts.
> 
> Spoilers – next fic will be – Mugged Part 3
> 
> Until next time, 
> 
> Bye x


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